Chapter 50 — The Mystic Fire Mirror

Zhang Qingyue gave a scornful hum, about to refute her and strike—but in that lightning flash of an instant, a conversation he had once had with Wan Rengui flashed through his mind, and he stood there as though struck by lightning, dazed.

Could it be that what I know is necessarily right?

What, in the end, is the true Way of Heaven—the true righteousness?

"Look out!" Suddenly Shi Tou beside him gave a great shout. Wind rose abruptly, and demonic cries broke out loud.

In the instant Zhang Qingyue was dazed, the three-tailed demon fox suddenly sprang into the air, her jade-white palm turning into a five-fingered claw, shrieking down at him through the air. Shi Tou roared and was about to summon his arts, but in that lightning instant, demonic cries rose on every side, above and below, left and right; in the pitch-black dark countless demon eyes glittered, the wind hissed past his ears, and who knew how many demons came swarming in. For a moment he simply could not divide himself to help.

The three-tailed demon fox had judged Zhang Qingyue the weaker of the two, and having decided, she drove the demons first to entangle Shi Tou while she threw her full strength at settling one of them.

The claw came swift as wind and lightning, almost at the youth's eyes; even in the distance a faint gasp seemed to rise. But then Zhang Qingyue lifted his head, and the three-tailed demon fox met his gaze. Something stirred in her heart, but before she could think, between her and Zhang Qingyue a black staff suddenly appeared, glimmering with a faint dark-blue light.

The next moment, her claw struck the staff.

No one could describe that feeling. To onlookers there was not even the earth-shaking crash and flurry one might have expected; in that moment that seemed frozen, they saw only the woman in midair, garments fluttering, five fingers formed into a claw, gripping the black iron staff.

Her snow-white skin suddenly seemed drained of all blood, turning cold and white, almost transparent.

Before her, it was as though a demonic vortex, deep beyond all seeing, spun endlessly in the night, grinning as it sought to devour her.

She raised her head and shrieked, a shrill and mournful sound, then her whole body shot skyward, a white shape, and at last broke free of that demonic blue halo, landing far off.

Then she whipped her head around, her face all shock and all deadly intent, staring hard at the youth—and at that black iron staff slowly turning in midair.

In the distance Xiaowan drew a sharp breath and said softly, "What a formidable treasure! What is that thing, Grandfather?"

She asked twice, but felt Zhou Yixuan had not answered at all. She turned to look and saw his brows tightly knit, his face likewise full of amazement.

Startled, Xiaowan reached out and tugged at him. "Grandfather, what's wrong?"

Zhou Yixuan gave a start, as if only now waking from the scene before him, but his expression was still uncertain with shock and doubt. He mumbled, "Who on earth is this youth? How could such a strange disciple have come out of the Canglan sect?"

Xiaowan glanced at him. "What is it?"

Zhou Yixuan looked toward the clearing. "That treasure in the youth's hand is most strange. When he summoned it just now, its baleful aura was actually stronger than the three-tailed demon fox's demonic aura. Such an evil thing—how could it..."

Xiaowan's mouth fell open. She looked toward the clearing, then suddenly caught something from the corner of her eye and said softly to Zhou Yixuan, "Grandfather, look at that woman."

Zhou Yixuan was startled and followed where Xiaowan pointed. There stood Bili in her water-green dress, silent to one side; nearby Shi Tou fought the demons with abandon, the din shaking heaven and earth, yet she did not glance that way once. Her eyes were fixed only on Zhang Qingyue.

Especially after Zhang Qingyue summoned the black iron staff—her expression grew stranger still, as if glad, yet somewhat worried, and seemingly hesitant besides; her face shifted from light to dark.

Zhou Yixuan looked twice and said, "That woman has taken a fancy to the black iron staff. What are you gawking at, girl?"

Xiaowan said, puzzled, "What black iron staff?"

Zhou Yixuan said, "The one the youth has."

Xiaowan, unconvinced, said, "Strange. Why is it that she may fancy the youth, but I may not even look?"

Zhou Yixuan glared at her, about to give this disobedient and precocious granddaughter a proper scolding, when he heard a fresh commotion in the clearing. He hurriedly turned to look and paid Xiaowan no more mind.

In the clearing, Zhang Qingyue saw the demon fox falling back—too good a chance to miss. In an instant he had closed in, the black iron staff whistling toward her. The three-tailed demon fox knit her brows; her face seemed to pale another shade.

As Zhang Qingyue came charging, the night deepened and the wind grew shriller. On that soft, alluring face, two faint, graceful brows seemed to lock together. She gave a light cry, sleeves flying, her jade-white fingers stretching and curling, joined like a blade, and slashed down through the air.

"Ya!"

A shriek like a mountain falling, sudden and abrupt, piercing everyone's ears like needles.

From the pitch-black woods countless faint glimmers suddenly burst forth. Looking closely, they poured like a tide from the darkness behind the woman—numberless demons, screaming without cease, their faces hideous, charging at Zhang Qingyue.

In an instant Zhang Qingyue was all but buried under them.

The onlookers paled—but a moment later they saw Zhang Qingyue, amid that black press of demons, moving with his staff, breaking out through the swarm. Where the green light of the black iron staff passed, only a few larger demons that seemed to have some cultivation dared resist; the rest did not dare come near.

At this the crowd was all the more shaken. But as Zhang Qingyue threw his full strength into his arts, a bitterness suddenly rose in his heart: this "Soul-Stealer" was forged by burning the dark spirits and fierce souls of demons. Seeing how these demons now feared the black iron staff by instinct, he feared that most of what Wan Rengui had said was true.

The three-tailed demon fox, seeing that even this countless horde of demons could not seem to stop Zhang Qingyue, grew paler still. Just then, from a little farther off, Shi Tou roared; golden light flashed, solemn and majestic, and from afar he seemed to become a mighty金刚 of demon-subduing power, eyes glaring wide, leaping up, and thrusting the Demon-Breaking Staff into the earth once more.

With a "boom," golden light splashed in all directions. This time the ground around collapsed over a still greater span, nearly three zhang, and the demon-quelling golden light that shot forth was more dazzling and more numerous still, like lightning and thunder.

Amid wails of anguish, half the demons surrounding Shi Tou were in an instant reduced to nothing, and most of the rest, in their terror, fled.

Shi Tou came down to earth, and no sooner had his huge frame steadied than he was gasping for breath—plainly such a mighty spell drained his body and cultivation greatly. But his constitution was sturdy after all, and in a moment he seemed to catch his breath. Still somewhat winded, he glanced around and charged toward Zhang Qingyue.

The three-tailed demon fox caught sight of Shi Tou charging from the corner of her eye; Zhang Qingyue before her was already close. She stamped her foot, about to slip away into the darkness behind her.

But at that very moment, a white light flashed in the dark, and a vast drift of white flying blossoms suddenly flew out, the wind sharp and fierce. The three-tailed demon fox was startled and for a moment dared not move, and could only stand her ground.